thesis for nature vs nurture

79 Nature vs Nurture Essay Topics & Examples

Have some suggestions and questions about nature vs nurture? On this page, find research and essay topics to explore a particular aspect of the discussion.

📑 Aspects to Cover in a Nature vs Nurture Essay

🏆 best nature vs nurture essay topics & essay examples, 📌 most interesting nurture vs nature topics to write about, 👍 good nature vs nurture topics, ❓ questions about nature vs nurture, 💯 free nature vs nurture essay topic generator.

What affects human development: nature or nurture? Are gender roles and differences come naturally, or does society impose them? What can be argued about the personalities of identical twins? Explore any of the issues with us! Our IvyPnada team has prepared nurture vs nature topics to write about. Check essay examples via the links as well.

At first glance, a nature vs nurture essay seems to be easy. However, a limited view of the subject matter may cost you marks, which is why it is crucial to offer a well-rounded account of the debate. Here are some of the aspects that you might want to include in your essay on nature vs nurture.

• The importance of the topic. The debate on what influences one’s personality, intelligence, and character is among the most prominent ones in psychology and other social sciences. Your task is to reflect this and to attempt to justify why the debate is so important. What could be done if it were resolved one day? How does the dispute affect other subject fields and topics in psychology? How would the resolution help the study of psychology and human behavior to move forward? Would it help to prove certain theories or refute the others, and what would be the effect on professional practice?
• The origins of the debate. While you explore the first aspect, you might stumble upon the history of the nature vs nurture debate. Covering this theme in your essay could also earn you some extra marks. Merely summarizing historical facts is not enough, though, because your tutor is probably aware of them already. Instead, you should focus on why the debate started. Were there any developments in psychology that prompted it?
• Prominent views. It is hard to omit the opinions expressed by famous scholars while writing an essay on this subject. John Locke, John B. Watson, Calvin Hall, and other authors had all shared ideas on the issue. If you need more names, try searching sample essays on nature and nurture online since most of them point out the key names. This might also help you to identify possible nature vs nurture essay titles.
• Results of research studies. Research evidence is among the key nature vs nurture essay topics because there were many attempts to prove one or the other view. Examples of such studies may be cited in your textbook, so it should be the first point of your research. Your school’s library and Google Scholar might also give you more information. If you find any sources online, make sure that they are of academic quality, or you might lose marks.
• Your personal experience and thoughts. Because the controversy is so prominent, nearly all people who study psychology or social studies have an opinion on it. If the instructions don’t prevent you from doing this, you should share your thoughts on the debate between nature and nurture. Support your opinion with credible research evidence and link it to the work of other scholars. If you believe that the environment is more important than genes, why is that? What other theorists supported this view, and why did they? Your opinion, supported by relevant facts and views, may become an excellent nature vs nurture essay thesis.
• Suggestions for further research. Try to think about what could be done to resolve the debate once and for all. What are the main gaps in studies on nature vs nurture and how could they be addressed by scholars?

Covering all of the themes above will help you to produce an outstanding essay. Make sure to check our website for a nature vs nurture essay prompt, titles, and other useful materials!

• Nature versus Nurture and Learning among Children Of much concern among modern researchers is the determination of the degree of influence of nature and nurture on the development of a child and the provision of learning experiences.
• As Nature Made Him: Summary and Analysis As aforementioned, the author of this book provides useful analysis of this aspect of personality. One of the greatest questions that readers get answer from this book is the question of nature vs.nurture in sexuality […]
• Alcoholism-Nature vs Nurture Debate The analysis on physiological physiology regarding alcohol shows that, alcohol displays feelings of superiority and fearless behavior and also, it reduces an individual’s fear.
• Nature Vs Nurture In most cases, nature determines the physical characteristics which in effect influence the behavior of an individual. These are traits which largely determined by the socio-cultural environmental factors or the way the individuals are socialized […]
• Human Development: Nature or Nurture? With studies and theories carried out to examine the impact of nature on the personal development and personality traits, heredity is an important factor in the development.
• Nature vs. Nurture: New Science Stirs Debate How Behavior Is Shaped A prime example of this nature of debates is the debate on whether nature or nurture has a greater bearing on the development of the diverse individual behavioral differences that exist.
• Physical and Mental Wellbeing: Nature versus Nurture In conclusion, the debates on nature versus nurture reveal that both innate health conditions and external factors shape the outcomes for physical and mental wellbeing of an individual.
• “Nature” Versus “Nurture”: Effects on Child Development Consequently, a child’s behavior cannot be viewed as solely attributable to the genetic composition of the parents and the hereditary characteristics.
• Violent Behavior: Nature vs Nurture Considering this circumstance, the shifts in one’s attitudes are likely to be ascribed to the modifications in conditions, which can be reported by families with children.
• The Relationship Between Nature And Nurture On The Intelligence
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• The Role Of Nature And Nurture : Adolescence Eating Disorders
• The Nature Vs. Nurture Debate In Learning More About Alcoholism
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• The Role of Nature and Nurture in Human Development
• The Influence of Nature Versus Nurture on an Individual Human Behavior
• Use Of Nature And Nurture Based Studies On Epigenetics
• The Impact of Nature and Nurture on Huck’s and Finn’s Personality and Behavior in The Adventure of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
• The Correlation between Nature and Nurture in the Personal Development
• Role of Nature and Nurture in Language Development
• Personality, Behavior, and the Significance of Nature v. Nurture
• The Disputes Concerning the Popular Nature vs. Nurture Argument
• Understanding the Role of Nature Versus Nurture in Alcohol Addiction
• Wild Child Vs Nature And Nurture
• The Importance of Nature Verses Nurture in Shaping Behavior and Personality
• The Differences Between Boys and Girls from Combination Between Nature and Nurture
• The Role of Nature and Nurture in Human Homosexuality
• The Nature Versus Nurture Debate in The Blasphemy of Talking Politics During Bach Year, an Article by Susan McClary
• What Roles Do Nature And Nurture Play On Children ‘s
• What Differentiates The Entrepreneurs From Non-Entrepreneurs On Nature And Nurture
• The Source of Violence: Nature Vs. Nurture
• Gender And Socialization: Nature Or Nurture
• How Nature and Nurture Affects the Pies in Adolescence and Adulthood
• The Debate Between Criminal Nature and Criminal Nurture: William Sheldon Theory
• The Nurture and Care from Nature and the Damage Caused by Humans to Our Environment
• The Evolutionary Theory Of Nature Vs Nurture
• The Personality and Biology Differences in Nature Versus Nurture and Man Versus Woman Situations in Daily Life
• The Importance of Twin Studies in the Nature Versus Nurture Debate
• The Scientific And Cultural Debate Of Nature Vs Nurture
• The Issue of Nature Versus Nurture in the Development of Serial Killers
• The Role Of Nature Vs. Nurture, Culture And Gender, And Family
• What Makes A Monster Nature Vs Nurture In Mary Shelleys Frankenstein
• The Theme of Nature Versus Nurture in Shelly’s Frankenstein
• The Psychology Field Of Study About Nature And Nurture
• How Children Develop and the Interplay of Nature vs Nurture?
• How Nature vs Nurture Affect Human Development?
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• How Do Nature vs Nurture Work Together Example?
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• Why Is Nature vs Nurture Called a False Debate?
• Nature vs Nurture: Do Our Genes Affect Our Personalities?
• Nature vs Nurture: Which Has a More Significant Influence on Child Development?
• How Do You Argue Nature vs Nurture?
• Nature vs Nurture: Who’s to Blame for Acts of Violence?
• How Does Nature vs Nurture Affect Intelligence?
• Nature vs Nurture: Which Is the Origin of Virtue?
• How Does Shelley Represent the Nature vs Nurture Debate?
• Nature vs Nurture: Which Determines Personality?
• What Are Examples of Nature vs Nurture?
• Nature vs Nurture: What Does Matter More?
• What Is Stronger Nurture vs Nature?
• Why Nurture Is Better than Nature?
• How Does the Nature vs Nurture Debate in May Affect the Physical?
• What Is Nature vs Nurture in Child Development?
• How Nature vs Nurture Influence Substance Abuse?
• Twin Studies: What Can They Tell Us About Nature vs Nurture?
• How Does Nature vs Nurture Affect the Development of Social-Emotion Attributes?
• Who Won Nature vs Nurture?
• How Nature vs Nurture Apply the Principles of Life?
• What Is the Difference Between Nature vs Nurture in Child Development?
• What Is the Main Idea of Nature vs Nurture?
• Is Nature vs Nurture Misleading?
• Nature vs Nurture: What Impacts a Child’s IQ?
• How Does Nature vs Nurture Affect Human Development?
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Nature Vs Nurture Essay for Students and Children

500+ Words Essay on Nature Vs Nurture

The topic of nature vs nurture is always a great topic of debate among people. There are great men who did work hard to achieve great heights . But still, they are some people who didn’t work that hard yet still managed to be successful.

In other words, it is a debate between hard work and talent. In the grooming of a person, the nurturing is essential. However, still, there are some individuals who were never born in a great environment . Yet by their sense of knowledge and intellectualism created a special place in the hearts of people.

Nature has given us many things in life and one of them is talents. Either we are born as the only individual in our family or it is in our genes. Furthermore, nature plays a vital role in deciding the future of a child. Many singers in this era are born with beautiful voices. They did not need any nurturing. Their talent took them to heights they couldn’t even imagine.

For instance, some of the great legends like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Kishor Kumar had soulful voices. Also, they were the ones who sang from their childhood days. They started their careers and became successful at a very early age. Moreover, they did not get much teaching but still are the legends of all time.

Apart from singing, there are other talents that nature has given us. Various scientists like Albert Einstein , Isaac Newton , Galileo Galilei, started their work in their teenage years. They had amazing intellectualism, because of which they got recognition in their entire world. Furthermore, these scientists did not get any mentoring. They did everything on their own. Because they had extraordinary intelligence and ambition in life.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

On the other hand, the nurturing of a person is important. Because hard work beats talent. With proper mentoring and practice, a person can achieve success in life. If a person has an environment in which everybody is in the same profession and are successful in it.

Then there is a great chance that the person will land up in the same profession and will achieve heights. Because in that environment he will get proper nurturing.

Furthermore, he will also be able to perform better over the years. “ Hard work always pays off ”. This idiom is always true and nobody can deny that. If a person has true dedication then it can beat talent. Various singers, dancers, musicians, businessmen, entrepreneurs did work really hard for years.

And because of that, they got recognition in the entire world. In these categories, musicians are who achieved heights only with their hard work and constant practice.

It is true that there are no shortcuts to success. Various known legends like Bob Dylon. Lou Reed, Elvis Persley, Michael Jackson worked hard throughout their lives. As a result, they were some of the great personalities in the entire world.

Q1. What is the meaning of nurture?

A1. Nurture means the way a person grooms himself. This is done in order to achieve success. Nurturing is essential in a person’s life because it can be a way a person can cross the barrier and do something great. Moreover nurture also means the mentoring and care a person is getting in an environment.

Q2. What is the difference between Nature and Nurture?

A2. The main difference between nature and nurture is, nature is the talent a person inherits from his parents or is God gifted. While nurturing is hard work and mentoring of a person in a particular field. So that he may excel in that field.

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Nature vs. Nurture Essay, with Outline

Published by gudwriter on May 24, 2018 May 24, 2018

Ready for a nature vs nurture essay debate? Take a look at this informational resource featuring an outline, APA style format and a list of references. Use ideas from this essay sample to form the focus of your writing assignment and if the question of who will write my essays is bothering you, our team of admission essay writing service professionals is available 24/7 to ensure that you receive high-quality essays on any topic at an affordable price. Save time and make life easy! Order an essay now!

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Nature vs Nurture Essay Outline Sample 1

Introduction.

Thesis: Nurture has more impact on human development than nature.

Paragraph 1:

As an infant, a human being experiences a ‘blank slate’ mentality where his or her thought processes have not been influenced by anything.

• From there, the identity and behavior of the person begin to form as they undergo various interactions and experiences as they grow.
• At birth, there is no endowed knowledge.
• Sensations are naturally provoked in humans by external environmental stimuli.

Paragraph 2:

The experiences one undergoes as they grow up, and not genetics, determine whether or not they suffer from health conditions or disorders in their adulthood.

• For example, two siblings who both have a genetic predisposition to depression may share biological parents but be raised in different households.
• One is raised in an abusive environment while the other in a friendly environment.
• In their later life, the sibling that was abused develops depression while the one who was not is happy and active.

Paragraph 3:

An infant can be trained to become any kind of specialist that the trainer wants them to be irrespective of their biological or genetic influences.

• What a child becomes is not dependent on their potentialities, race, or talents.
• The environment shapes their dreams.
• This is why a child may be encouraged to ‘work hard’ in school and become a doctor, for instance.

Paragraph 4:

Human behavior comes from the integrated point of view of cognitive, environmental, and behavioral influences.

• “Most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling.”
• Humans learn and understand how to do something by themselves if they see how it is done.

Paragraph 5:

It is nurture and not nature that determines whether a child develops negative or positive behavior.

• A child may learn to act accordingly if their parents teach them to behave in a certain way.
• For instance, a child born left-handed may end up writing using their right hand only as a result of their parents’ persistent teachings.
• The learned behavior of using the right hand replaces the trait of left-handedness.

Paragraph 6: 

Those arguing that nature has more influence may argue that what matters in how one behaves or develops is the type of gene that is turned on.

• Theirs is the idea that different genes are turned on and off in different circumstances.
• However, the nature of such circumstances determines how one’s behavior develops.

Nurture is more responsible for shaping human development than nature. Children are born with a ‘blank’ mentality and they have to learn as they grow into adults. They have to acquire behaviors depending on the environments in which they are brought up.

Nature versus Nurture Example Essay Sample 1

Nature refers to all the hereditary factors and genes that influence who people are, from their personality characteristics to their physical appearance. On the other hand, nurture refers to all the environmental variables that impact who people are, including their early childhood experiences, how they were raised, their social relationships, and their surrounding culture. According to biological psychology, genetics and biological influences play a key role in shaping how a person develops. On the contrary, Behaviorism stresses that human behavior and development is shaped more by the environment. This paper argues that nurture has more impact on human development than nature. The personal reflection is based on nature.

As an infant, a human being experiences a ‘blank slate’ mentality whereby his or her thought processes have not been influenced by anything. From there, the identity and behavior of the person begin to form as they undergo various interactions and experiences as they grow. As such, empiricists are right in their assertion that at birth, there is no endowed knowledge. “Instead, all knowledge comes through the senses, and mental development reflects learned associations” (Bornstein et al., 2013). Bornstein et al. (2013) further point out that sensations are naturally provoked in humans by external environmental stimuli. Moreover, individual raw sensations culminate into what is deemed “meaningful perceptions” through association. This helps in creating their behavior and personality. Nature makes you unique in every possible ways.

The experiences one undergoes as they grow up, and not genetics, determine whether or not they suffer from health conditions or disorders in their adulthood. For example, two siblings who both have a genetic predisposition to depression may share biological parents but be raised in different households. In the process, one of them gets exposed to verbal and physical abuse at the hands of his caretakers while the other does not. In their later life, the sibling that was abused develops depression while the one who was brought up in a stable, loving, and caring home is happy and active (Harris, 2011). One of the siblings suffers depression in their later life because of the environment he grew up in although they both have brains that are more vulnerable to depression.

Similarly, an infant can be trained to become any kind of specialist that the trainer wants them to be irrespective of their biological or genetic influences. Since the environment dictates how the child develops, what they become when they grow up is not dependent on their potentialities, race, or talents. As pointed out by Bornstein et al. (2013), “emotional reactions are the result of learned associations between unconditioned stimuli and neutral events so that these neutral events come to elicit emotional responses through classic conditioning.” This is why a child may be encouraged to ‘work hard’ in school and become a doctor or engineer, for instance. It is also why it is said that there are endless career opportunities for humans and that what one needs to do is to choose on one and work towards it.

Furthermore, human behavior comes from the integrated point of view of cognitive, environmental, and behavioral influences. “Bandura’s work emphasized the importance of observing and modeling the behaviors, attitudes, and emotional reactions of others from the assumption that most human behavior is learned observationally through modeling” (Baker & Brandell, 2013). Humans learn and understand how to do something by themselves if they see how it is done. For example, a person who does not know how to fish may know upon seeing another person fishing. It implies that the person keenly observes the steps involved in the fishing process and copies them. If learning was more genetically supported, a person may fail to do something even after several hours of watching how it is done. People may also not be able to change their attitudes as per their environment.

Finally, it is nurture and not nature that determines whether a child develops negative or positive behavior. A child may learn to act accordingly if their parents teach them to behave in a certain way (Harris, 2011). For instance, a child born left-handed may end up writing using their right hand only as a result of their parents’ persistent teachings. The learned behavior of using the right hand replaces the left hand as the dominant hand although the trait is left-handedness. This does not only change how the child writes but also how they use their hands. The implication is that children can be taught behaviors that counteract what they are born with. The potential influence of genes is stripped by this perspective.

Those arguing that nature has more influence may argue that what matters in how one behaves or develops is the type of gene that is turned on. Theirs is the idea that different genes are turned on and off in different circumstances (Psychology1101, 2008). Their understanding of this is that factors in the environment only draw reactions from a person rather than shape their behaviors. These reactions, according to these people, are released based on the particular gene that is turned on at that given moment. While this may be true, it is also true that a person has to naturally react to occurrences in their environment. It is also true that the nature of such occurrences determines how their behavior develops, as already explained above.

Nurture is more responsible for shaping human development than nature. Children are born with a ‘blank’ mentality and they have to learn as they grow into adults. They have to acquire behaviors depending on the environments in which they are brought up. They can be taught to become various specialists and can also learn to do a number of things by observing others do them. On the same note, a child who is predisposed to depression by genetic factors can be helped not to develop depression by being raised in a caring environment. Thus, human behavior is learned and is not dependent on genetic or biological influences.

Baker, K. E., & Brandell, J. R. (2013). Child and adolescent psychotherapy and psychoanalysis: one hundred years after ‘little Hans’ . New York, NY: Routledge.

Bornstein, M. H., et al. (2013). Development in infancy, fifth edition: a contemporary introduction . Oxfordshire, UK: Taylor and Francis.

Harris, J. R. (2011). The nurture assumption: why children turn out the way they do . New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

Psychology1101. (2008).  Nature vs. nurture  [Video]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aNaMlSc3Ag&list=PLC6B610F325F65635

Nature vs Nurture Essay Debate Outline Sample 2

Thesis:  Although the two sides argue for different factors influencing behavior and development, nature and nurture cannot be isolated since they both play a significant role in the development process of an individual.

The nurture versus nature debate began many decades ago.

• It started with the world’s greatest philosophers including Plato and Socrates who maintained that certain things are inborn and they occur naturally without an influence of environmental factors.
• Nativists posited that all behaviors are inherited through an individual’s genetic make-up and composition.
• Thinkers such as John Locke brought in the idea of  tabula rasa  that is based on the argument that at birth one is born with a blank mind and through development and growth everything starts to take shape.

In essence, people believe that nature fix behavior and development is entirely a matter of choice.

• . However, it is crucial to consider the fact that in the course of human life there is an interaction of nature, nurture and the choices that people make.
• Biologically, genes are responsible for structuring amino acids which also impact on the body cells by influencing on the proteins leading to the chemical components of our biology.
• The actions and development of any individual are explained by their genetic composition and the environment in which they exist.

The maturation theory is an excellent example of child development.

• In this theory, the argument is development is comprised of genetically determined series of events that unfold automatically.
• The ability of a child to speak in a specific language is assumed to be as a result of their genetic makeup.

Undoubtedly, development is highly dependent on an individual’s genetic make-up.

• However, genes cannot function without significant influence by the environment.
• A more interesting example is that of feral children who are kept away from human contact from the time they are born.
• Due to the isolation, such children lack parental care, love and cannot pick any human language.

Individuals may not have inherited such concrete behavioral traits as the political party they support, the religion they practice, and the language they speak because these traits are largely provided by one’s environment.

• However, they inherited the traits upon which their underlying talents and temperaments are based.
• For instance, one may have inherited from their parents how to be religious, how to become conservative or liberal, and how to become proficient with language.

Paragraph 6:

It is challenging to isolate nature and nurture in the developmental process of a human being, and this can be explained using several other examples.

• In the case of academic success, one might wonder if people succeed because they are genetically modified to succeed, or it is out of the environment they exist.
• Also, one might consider the case of an abusive husband where the question is whether one is born with abusive tendencies or they learned the behavior by observing the behavior of others during their development phase.

Paragraph 7:

There are traits and physical characteristics that can entirely be blamed on genetic composition.

• For instance, biological composition influences an individual’s hair color, eye color and genetic diseases such as diabetes.
• However, other examples such as life expectancy profoundly affect biological makeup, lifestyle and environmental factors.

The nature versus nurture debate is still on despite being initiated many years ago. Different branches of psychology tend to focus more on one side more than the other, but the truth is both cannot be explained in isolation. It is true that some behaviors and traits are in born, but the environment also plays a significant role in influencing such behaviors.

The Nature versus Nurture Essay Debate Sample 2

The discussion of nature versus nurture rotates around the issue of behavior and development. Those who argue for the nature side contend that what we become or who we are is influenced by our genes and hereditary factors including physical appearance and personality traits. On the other hand, those on the nurture side argue that the environment plays a massive role in influencing who we are, referring to environmental variables such as childhood experiences, parenting styles, social relationships, and culture. Although these two sides argue for different factors influencing behavior and development, nature and nurture cannot be isolated since they both play a significant role in the life of an individual.

The nurture versus nature debate began many decades ago. It started with the world’s greatest philosophers including Plato and Socrates who maintained that certain things are inborn and occur naturally without an influence of environmental factors (Kong et al., 2018). On the other hand, nativists posited that all behaviors are inherited through an individual’s genetic make-up and composition. The nativists tried to argue that evolution causes behaviors and traits and genetic traits are handed down from parents to their children making every one unique. Other thinkers such as John Locke, as pointed out by McLeod (2007), brought in the idea of  tabula rasa  that is based on the argument that at birth, one is born with a blank mind and through development and growth everything starts to take shape.

In essence, people believe that nature fixes behavior and that development is entirely a matter of choice. However, it is crucial to consider the fact that in the course of human life, there is an interaction between nature, nurture, and the choices that people make. Biological programming refers to our genetics. Biologically, genes are responsible for structuring amino acids which also impact on the body cells by influencing on the proteins leading to the chemical components of our biology. The shape, size, and behavior of people rely on their biological make-up through an interaction of environmental factors (McLeod, 2007). That is, the actions and development of any individual are explained by their genetic composition and the environment in which they exist.

The maturation theory is an excellent example of child development. In this theory, the argument is that development is comprised of genetically determined series of events that unfold automatically (Petersen, 2017). This argument strengthens the idea that development is a biological process that takes place in predictable stages over the course of time. Here, the ability of a child to speak in a specific language is assumed to be as a result of their genetic makeup. The argument is that at first, a child starts to become interested in sounds and signs that they see with their parents and other people around them, thereby triggering the need to speak.

It is not in doubt that development is highly dependent on an individual’s genetic make-up. However, genes cannot function without significant influence by the environment. For example, in case a child is born deaf due to inherited genetic composition, they will never learn how to speak, but they might learn sign language if the people around them use sign language. It is thus without a doubt that the environment and the genetic makeup of an individual work together in the maturation process. A more interesting example is that of feral children who are kept away from human contact from the time they are born (Rollo, 2018). Due to the isolation, such children lack parental care and love, and cannot pick any human language. In most cases, they end up becoming mentally and physically impaired.

In yet another example, individuals may not have inherited such concrete behavioral traits as the political party they support, the religion they practice, and the language they speak because these traits are largely provided by one’s environment, including their culture and home environment. However, they inherited the traits upon which their underlying talents and temperaments are based. For instance, one may have inherited from their parents how to be religious, how to become conservative or liberal, and how to become proficient with language. This then means that whether they are conservative or liberal determines their political stance. It also implies that how fast they can become proficient with language affects the number of languages they can speak. On the same note, their understanding of religion and extent of religiosity significantly impacts their religious affiliation. As such, both nature and nurture have an input into how one develops.

It is therefore challenging to isolate nature and nurture in the developmental process of a human being, and this can be explained using several other examples. For instance, in the case of academic success, one might wonder if people succeed because they are genetically modified to succeed, or it is out of the environment they exist in. Similarly, one might consider the case of an abusive husband where the question is whether one is born with abusive tendencies or they learned the behavior by observing the behavior of others during their development process. In these two cases, it is difficult to blame genetic composition in entirety since environmental influences go a long way in explaining violent tendencies and academic success.

There are traits and physical characteristics that can entirely be blamed on genetic composition. For instance, biological composition influences an individual’s hair color, eye color, and genetic diseases such as diabetes. However, other examples such as life expectancy profoundly affect biological makeup, lifestyle, and environmental factors. On the issue of life expectancy, one might have been born with a strong immunity, but if they smoke or eat a lot of junk among other unhealthy lifestyles, they will not have a prolonged life expectancy.

The nature versus nurture debate is still on despite being initiated many years ago. Different branches of psychology tend to focus more on one side than the other. However, as seen, the truth is that neither can be explained in isolation. It is true that some behaviors and traits are in-born. However, it is also true that the environment also plays a significant role in influencing such behaviors.

Kong, A., Thorleifsson, G., Frigge, M. L., Vilhjalmsson, B. J., Young, A. I., Thorgeirsson, T. E., … & Gudbjartsson, D. F. (2018). The nature of nurture: effects of parental genotypes.  Science ,  359 (6374), 424-428.

McLeod, S. (2007). Nature vs. nurture in psychology.  Simply Psychology .

Petersen, A. (2017).  Brain maturation and cognitive development: comparative and cross-cultural perspectives . New York, NY: Routledge.

Rollo, T. (2018). Feral children: settler colonialism, progress, and the figure of the child.  Settler Colonial Studies ,  8 (1), 60-79.

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Essay Sample: Nature Versus Nurture

26 March, 2020

7 minutes read

Author:  Kate Smith

This sample is a great example of the compare and contrast essay writing. It presents two points of view on what influences the development of a personality the most - genetics or environmental factors. Don't hesitate to read it to see what such a type of essay should look like when written professionally!

Nature and nurture is a hotly contested argument concerning what influences the behavior and personality attributes of individuals. Nature is entirely dependent on the genetic combination of an individual which dictates their character and appearance. On the other hand, nurture is dependent on the environmental factors that an individual gets exposed to which end up shaping his or her personality. Nature and nurture influence individuals to a certain extent because individuals get exposed to both of them in one way or the other dictating their development process.

Nature principle holds that biological characteristics of individuals get inherited from the genetic makeup in their lineage. Character traits such as height, weight, vulnerability to certain illnesses and skin complexion are inherited and determined by the genetic combination of individuals. Such biological combination is usually similar amongst individuals who are blood relatives, and for this reason, they tend to have almost a uniform genetic combination. Moreover, other behavioral, mental and personality attributes are also a reflection of our genetic makeup and usually inherited from individuals’ close blood relatives (Kong et al. 2018). Through the traits, it is easier to identify closely related individuals just by looking at their appearance and conduct.

Besides, specific characteristics do not become evident during birth, and when a person reaches a certain age, for instance, during puberty, that is when the hidden attributes begin showing up. The biological clock guides such characteristics, and when the right time comes, the physical and behavioral attributes mature and become conspicuous. Such traits get programmed in a way that for them to grow visible, they will take a certain period to develop. Moreover, they are also dependent on other biological factors within our bodies for them to manifest. However, the traits still maintain the genetic combination and the similarity of a specific lineage.

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On the contrary, through nurture, an individual acquires specific attributes from the environment that surrounds them. When a child is born, for instance, its mind is black and empty. It is through its interaction with the surrounding and the people around it that will make the infant acquire some of their traits through learning, observation and aping their conducts. In other words, nurturing is dependent on the environment, experience, and learning as the individual interacts with the environment with time (Vazsonyi, Roberts, Huang & Vaughn, 2015). The way an individual was nurtured or brought up will influence their aspect of child development. Maturation will only affect biological development. The environment plays a vital role in the development process.

Similarly, the type of relationships also plays a crucial role in the nurturing, especially during child development. For instance, an infant develops an emotional attachment to its parents because of the love and affection it receives. Moreover, children who are given proper care and affection will reciprocate the same while growing up. On the contrary, infants who receive harsh treatment from their parents will develop withdrawal symptoms while growing up. Also, the infants also try and learn how and what to talk by studying the speech of those around them. The cognitive development comes from the exposer that the infant receives and conditions surrounding it.

Correspondingly, certain traits are acquired based on what an individual went through. Children who got abused or molested when growing up develop specific antisocial characteristics, for instance, being high tempered, harsh and develops particular disorders. For example, bipolar disorders manifest because an individual underwent harsh treatment which affects their psychological stability after that. Some of them become abusers and molesters in their future relationships as a way of imitating and justifying what they experienced while growing up. Imitation is a way of implementing what the individual has learned during the nurturing process by putting the lessons into practice.

Striking a Balance

However, after careful analysis, psychologists have discovered that both nature and nurture are responsible for the development of an individual. Both factors interact with each other and play a crucial role in shaping up the conduct of an individual (Lux, 2014). For example, in psychopathology, it is argued that both hereditary factors and environmental conditions contribute to the development of mental disorders in individuals. The biological combinations of people closely interact with the socio-cultural set up surrounding them. Individuals are now left to make their own choices in dictating what is suitable for them and what should be left out. Nature and nurture complement each other in shaping an individual.

Conclusively, nature and nurture are broiling discussion, and both sides have valid points to justify their stands. Nature is purely based on the fact that genetic makeup influence how an individual behaves and thinks. Similarly, the natives hold that genetic factors dictate factors such as the appearance, particular illness, and intelligence levels. On the contrary, individuals who believe in nurturing hold that environmental factors are majorly involved in the development process of individuals. Children acquire traits through learning from the people surrounding them and will try to imitate the behavior after that. However, psychologists are trying their level best to strike a balance between the two school of thoughts since both sides hold valid arguments, but both nurture and nature interact with each other during the development process. Nature and nurture cannot get treated in isolation.

Lux, V. (2014). Nature and nurture.  Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology , 1225-1231.

Kong, A., Thorleifsson, G., Frigge, M. L., Vilhjalmsson, B. J., Young, A. I., Thorgeirsson, T. E., … & Gudbjartsson, D. F. (2018). The nature of nurture: Effects of parental genotypes.  Science ,  359 (6374), 424-428.

Vazsonyi, A. T., Roberts, J. W., Huang, L., & Vaughn, M. G. (2015). Why focusing on nurture made and still makes sense: The biosocial development of self-control.  The Routledge international handbook of biosocial criminology , 263-280.

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